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ARTS Your guide to getting what y New book teaches focus, empowerment and persistence to achieve your goals By Stephanie Hounseli CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF Are you one of tbe legtons of people wbo make New Year's resolutions only t0 break tbem a couple of weeks - or maybe bours - later? Or miavhc sou have a specific goal \ 011 X been struggling to achieve fot years nov. but just can't seem tc0 make bappen - be it los- ing weigbt, going back 10 sebool or baving a dloser relationisbip witb your spouse. Join tbe club. For most of us, setting goals isot tbe problem. Following tbrougb and bringing tbem te, fruition is. For two decades, local financial planner Lou Mulligan bas been working witb clients to, belp make tbeir financial dreams a reality so tbey can gel wbat tbey want out of life. He knows tbe many pilfalîs tbaî can stand in the way, and be belps bis clients identify and overcome tbese. "Expertence is 20/20," be said. Recipe for prosperity Focus, empowerment and persistence - tbose are bis tbree basic principles for suc- cess. But il wasn't long before be realized tbe formula could be applied te, any goal, noî just in tbe area of finances, and several years ago be bad tbe idea of writing a book. Afler five years of writing, re-writing and following bis own advice, Mulligans goal of writing tbat book recentîy became a realiîy witb tbe release of Hey! I Can Do Thtis... Your Guide 10 Getting Witat You Want. Released tbrougb a self-publisbing com- pany, ils n0w available tbrougb Amazon.ca GRAHAM PAINt / CANADIAN CHAMPION UFE COACH: Lou Mulligan offers a blueprint for success in his recentîy-released book, H.., / Caîî Do T/ils.. Your Gulde ta GettIng What You friant or tbrougb Cbapîers and Indigo bookstores. On Saturday, june 5, Mulligan will appear aI tbe local Indigo store on Steeles Avenue for a book signing from 1 10, 4 p.m. Tbe book is designed as a worksbop tbaî takes tbe reader fromt seîîing goals 10 acbiev- ing îbem in small, bite-sized cbunks. "For me, ils already a success because I've been able 10 complete il and l'm able 10 sbare tbings witb people," Mulligan said, adding tbe feedback so far bas been positive. Explaining bis principles for success, Mulligan said baving a clear, focused defini- lion of your goal is important. Everyone bas goals, be said, but n01 everyone bas identified îbem as goals. For example, a person migbî decide to, do noîb- ing on any given day ldentifying îbaî as a goal of relaxing will belp make tbaî a priori- ty and gel rid of guiît and clutter tbat could fill up tbe day Setting goals can actually result in a less ou want luttered life, because goals can serve as fil- ers to strain ouI the unnecessary, irrelevant hings in life, Mulligan said. He's been the fîrst person to put his tech- niques int practice. 1I was my own first guinca ptg," he satd. Il believe in trial and error and 1 tried and erred a lot!" Some goals bes worked toward in bis own ife include reducing his coffee consumption [rom 20 cups 10 a couple a week and losing weigbt by changing his eating habits. Can help wîîh ail areas areas of physical, intellectual, social, spiritual and, yes, financial, since, as Mulligan pointed out, a degree of financial, freedom is neces- sarv to achiexe most of what people want in ife. His experiences as a Certified Financial Planner and bis educational background in psychology and sociology give Mulligan unique insigbt into buman nature. ,,The book is the outeome of my educa- tion and experience," Mulligan said. The book is designed for the novice - someone wbo bas neyer before set a goal - as well as someone wbo wants to completely change bis or ber life focus. "The more people 1 can sbare this book witb, the better," Mulligan said. Greatly assisting bim in tbis projeet was bis wife, Loretta. Shes to thank for thse books transformation from. a beavy, hard-to-read manual to a practical, ligbî-bearted book that cao be read in small cbunks. "I kept saying the sentences bave 10, be shorter," Loretta said with a laugh. Loretta provided a "laymans" perspective, coming at il from tbe point of view of some- one wbo int a natural goal-setter - some- one similar to tbe target readers. "If you can't relate to il wben you're read- ing il, you won'î continue," sbe said, adding, "Our goal is to belp people." Stephanie Hounseli can be reached at sthiessenCmitoncanadiachmpiofl. cm. ParksMàs-t'er Ptan OpenHos 1001,00 ga.e evr Frdy&Stira I. 1p WIN$I0. Il M~ Cravwford Lake' CA C0ne(>e')1.rv,1bîr1 P Park Admi"ssion FREE vtsit conservatioflhattol. calbepartof theptan 9O0.854.0234 or e-mait crawtaIoe@hrca.oI.ca